Nokia unveils flagship N97 phone

[edesignuk]

[following on from this thread yesterday]

Details are in, Nokia has a new flagship phone. The N97 packs a 3.5-inch, 640 x 360 pixel (that's a 16:9 aspect ratio) touchscreen display with tactile feedback and QWERTY keyboard into this sliding communicator with an "always open" window to favorite internet or social networking sites. Nokia calls it the "world's most advanced mobile computer." To back up the claim they've dropped in HSDPA and WiFi radios, 32GB of onboard memory with microSD expansion (for up to 48GB total capacity), and a battery capable of up to 1.5 days of continuous audio playback. 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss glass and "DVD quality" video capture at 30fps, too. The specs are certainly impressive, let's see if the S60 5th Edition OS can support it. The N97 will launch with a retail price set at around €550 ($693) excluding subsidies and taxes, phone to ship in H1 2009.

Engadget.

Holy crap, that's quite a spec. Wonder if the OS can actually make any use of it...

[Schtumple]

Overkill phone is overkill...

[edesignuk]

Originally Posted by Schtumple

Overkill phone is overkill...

Would you really be saying it's overkill if Apple put a decent camera, a better screen and much more memory (with expansion) in the iPhone?

[Pixellated]

Heh, where's multi touch, or any nice features?

[Schtumple]

Originally Posted by edesignuk

Would you really be saying it's overkill if Apple put a decent camera, a better screen and much more memory (with expansion) in the iPhone?

Probably not...

The thing that pushed it over was "DVD quality" video recording, because you know, actual camcorders just don't cut it anymore

[edesignuk]

Originally Posted by Schtumple

Probably not, the thing that pushed it over was "DVD quality" video recording, because you know, actual camcorders just don't cut it anymore

So you're slagging them off for giving a better spec than you could ever need?

Don't get me wrong, I'm no Nokia fan, I haven't owned one or wanted one for years, I just don't see why you'd have a dig over things that are better than Apple provide.

[.Andy]

Phones are getting so cool. That looks really sweeeet! The future is rosy .

[Schtumple]

Originally Posted by edesignuk

So you're slagging them off for giving a better spec than you could ever need?

Don't get me wrong, I'm no Nokia fan, I haven't owned one or wanted one for years, I just don't see why you'd have a dig over things that are better than Apple provide.

I love nokia, I think they have made some amazing phones, I owned a 6500 slide before I got my iPhone.

I'm just not a fan of overkill specs, or what I think is overkill specs, I like a phone where I can see myself using all the features, rather than just boasting about them

[dukebound85]

id consider it

[geese]

Pah! It'll have an annoyingly short battery life, it'll take ages to retrieve your SMS's, and you'll have to wait 6 months for Nokia to release an OS update for it to be stable.

Smartphones are a rubbish. I'm gonna chuck my N95 soon and replace it with a £20 Samsung. Might look cheap but unlike the N95, it does the basics properly.

[Scarlet Fever]

If the OS is decent and its 3G compatible, I wouldn't mind one.

I'm wondering what a tactile touchpad would feel like...

EDIT; the interface looks fairly terrible. If I was gonna spend the money, I'd get myself an iPhone.

[Padraig]

S60 is lighting fast on the new e-series phones, so I'd say it's sluggishness is down to the fact that it's a prototype. Also N-series aren't Nokia's business line so that's why you don't have exchange already installed, but i'm sure we'll see a TS e-series any day now.


Not the biggest fan of touchscreen phones but this one looks like it has potential to sway me. I'll withhold judgement until I see a production model.

[billandy]

Originally Posted by Padraig

S60 is lighting fast on the new e-series phones, so I'd say it's sluggishness is down to the fact that it's a prototype. Also N-series aren't Nokia's business line so that's why you don't have exchange already installed, but i'm sure we'll see a TS e-series any day now.


Not the biggest fan of touchscreen phones but this one looks like it has potential to sway me. I'll withhold judgement until I see a production model.

I used to have N95 which everyone knows that does "everything", kinda like Windows, does everything, but also very stupid. I was one of the first to stand in the queue back in March to get the 1st batch of SIM-free N95 in the UK, but was then disappointed after the novelty has worn out in two-month of time. But I've been using iPhone from 1st gen for nearly a year now, and it's never failed to put smile on my face every time I use it and there're always new surprises from Apple.

If it's not a business phone, then I wonder how many people really want to have that sort of QWERTY keyboard, just for texting? Talking about the E-series, I haven't seen many E90s flying around although it's been out for nearly as long as the N95. I think Nokia just made a misstep with N96 and I haven't seen a single friend using it as many just went for the N95 black 8GB edition.

I really think this is more of a declaration from Symbian saying that "we can do touch too!" since it's just been bought by Nokia. I have nothing against S60 and in fact the company itself is a local company to where I live now and I do meet some of its employees occasionally. It's done better, but I still think that's not enough. Just like the G1, good try, but everyone deep in their heart know that to appeal to the mass, G1's not gonna do it. Nevertheless a good start still and I think it's the same case with Nokia.

[MatthewStorm]

Originally Posted by Padraig

S60 is lighting fast on the new e-series phones, so I'd say it's sluggishness is down to the fact that it's a prototype. li

Lightning fast? What are you, a turtle? I've had every high end Nokia phone for the last 7 years up to the N96, of which I had 3 and had to return them all for defects. S60 is S L O W. FP2 is better, but still slow. Now remember, i am comparing this to the iPhone. In no way can S60 be considered lightning fast.

Unless you're a turtle....

:-))

[angelneo]

I wouldn't mind if the OS is stable and responsive. But nokia bragging about the hardware alone just raise red flags in my head about their software. The UI seems cluttered on the video.

For the record, I'm still using an old non-camera phone.

[GSMiller]

Originally Posted by Scarlet Fever

If the OS is decent and its 3G compatible, I wouldn't mind one.

I'm wondering what a tactile touchpad would feel like...

EDIT; the interface looks fairly terrible. If I was gonna spend the money, I'd get myself an iPhone.

Especially if the N97 is an AT&T exclusive then yeah I'd get the iPhone too...

Haven't they used the N97 name before? I'm feeling a bit of déjà vu when I hear it.

[t0mat0]

It's got between now and WWDC to make it's mark i'd imagine.

Nokia handsets (apart from RIM's Blackberry models) do seem to be an alternative/prior phone for a fair few iPhone usrs - and quite a lot have N series phones. N96 seemed a bit bloated, and now N97 has been announced using S60 touch tech, it's outdated before it's really out.

Nokia has done photography well, and it's fair to compare the lack of video recording on the iPhone currently, and also the paucity of the camera sensor also. However, iPhone sure does a lot better than the N97 - with Nokia handsets still seemingly having a dose of ugly thrown in for good measure.

If Apple's kept their lead, I think it'll be v. interesting to see where things go (and if Intel can get that 64GB chip out, that'd be rather useful for the v3 iPhone presumably announced at WWDC (will Apple stay at the new version every year, bump in size in January?)
Seems the phones will play to their strengths. A lot of factors the N97 is touting now, might be de facto normal things come post-WWDC...

[bartelby]

Not really ground breaking though, is it.

It'll still have some awful Nokia OS too.

[davidjearly]

Yeah, I agree with the above. The OS looks shockingly bad, but that is typical of Nokia. 5MP Camera with glass lens? It's still a mobile phone camera.

The only thing I am impressed with is the storage capacity, and that will reach the iPhone soon enough.

[Tom B.]

Nice specs, but it looks a bit too thick for my pockets...




And it's interesting that they completely pulled out of Japan just before they announced it.

[Padraig]

Originally Posted by MatthewStorm

Lightning fast? What are you, a turtle? I've had every high end Nokia phone for the last 7 years up to the N96, of which I had 3 and had to return them all for defects. S60 is S L O W. FP2 is better, but still slow. Now remember, i am comparing this to the iPhone. In no way can S60 be considered lightning fast.

Unless you're a turtle....

:-))

Did you use any of the new e-series? E51,71 or 66 because there's no doubting their speed. They're the first s60 devices I've used that aren't sluggish. As for the N96, it has earned it's poor reputation.

[daneoni]

I like it...if the interface is decently responsive i wouldnt mind getting it. The prototype looks very promising though.

[Daim]

i'm so glad i didn't buy an overpriced iphone

[Stella]

Looks very impressive.

Out of contract, that phone could be very expensive.

The speed of the hands on video, slow maybe? Doesn't matter - its a not the final device.. so there's time for improvements.

The problem Symbian have is that its difficult to develop with. They really need to improve this.

The benefit of Symbian is that you don't have some anal retented company telling developers what kind of application can or cannot be made. Worried about viruses? Don't worry, Symbian is very secure. Nokia really need to improve the DownLoad app... it *could* be good.

Originally Posted by MatthewStorm

Lightning fast? What are you, a turtle? I've had every high end Nokia phone for the last 7 years up to the N96, of which I had 3 and had to return them all for defects. S60 is S L O W. FP2 is better, but still slow. Now remember, i am comparing this to the iPhone. In no way can S60 be considered lightning fast.
:-))

Actually, my E71 is very fast despite being loaded with apps etc. You obviously haven't had every end nokia phone...

[roland.g]

Interface is where it's at. Nokia just doesn't have it.
Not about a touchscreen.
Not about a 5MP camera with Flash.
Not about a MP3 and Video player.
Not about widgets and apps.

It's about tying it all together and having a good user experience.

N97
Instinct
Storm
Omnia

None of them stack up. Sorry.